Flying-machine.



J. L. TUCKER.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1911.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

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amuamto o J. L. TUCKER.-

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1911.

Patented 'Feb. 11, 1913.

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amvewkw J. L. TUCKER FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1911.

- Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

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JOSEPH L. TUCKER, OF HELENA, ALABAMA.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.11,1913.

Application filed August 12, 1911. Serial No. 643,751.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. TUoKnR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Helena, in the county of Shelby and State of Alabama, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to flying machines, the object of the inventionbeing to provide a machine which will ascend or descend in a verticalpath, and hence may be started in flight straight from the ground or alanding station; which is capable of hovering or standing still in theair so that observations, etc., may be made; which is simple ofconstruction and reliable and efiicient in action; and in which thelifting Wheels employed are adapted, in the event of accident, to act asparachutes, to insure a safe descent to the ground.

The invention consists of the ,novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flying machine constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through one of the liftingwheels and its supporting means. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of thedrive gearing. Fig. 7 is a detail section of one of the lifting wheels.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a car or platform provided withsuitable launching and landingwheels 2 and supporting the aviators seat3 and driving motor 4. From this car rises a frame formed of verticaland horizontal rods, bars or tubes 5 and 6 properly connected and bracedto form a staunch andrigid structure.

Arranged centrally at the front and rear of the machine and supported bythe frame are masts 7 and 8 on which are revolubly mounted tubularshafts 9 and 10, each provided at its upper and lower ends with diskso-r heads'll and 12, the lower head 12 carrying a beveled gear 13.Supported by the tubular shafts are lifting wheels 14: and 15, eachcomprising a hub 16, spaced superposed rims- 17 braces 18 connecting therims and an annular series of blades 19. 4

The blades 19, into any number of which the wheel may be divided, are ofsegmental form and fixed to the hub and rim in any suitable manner. Inthe present instance I have shown each wheel formed of four blades, and,as shown, each blade is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from itsleadmg; or front edge to its trail or rear edge so as to present thenecessary angle of incidence to the air for supporting effect. Theleading edge of each blade alines with or slightly overhangs the trailedge of the preceding blade and its trail edge has hinged or otherwisemovably connected therewith a flap 20. This, flap 20 normally lies inthe plane of the blade for the free passage 0 the air between thejuxtaposed edges of the blades. When, however, the motion of the wheelis arrested, as from the sudden stoppage of the motor, or the speed ofthe wheel decreases below sustentation limit and the machine beginstofall, the pressure of the air from below forces the flaps into positionto close the air passages between the blades, by which the wheel isconverted into a parachute. As a result, the two lifting wheels willsupport the machine and allow it to descend slowly to the ground, thusinsuring a safe landing. Braces 21 stay and support the frame of eachlifting propeller from the y disks or heads 11 and '12.

Extending longitudinallyof the machine is a driving shaft 22 carryinglarge and small sprocket Wheels 23 and 24. These sprocket wheels arerespectively connected by chains 25 and 26 with small sprocket wheels 27and 28 loosely mounted on the motor shaft 29. The sprocket wheels 27 and28 have friction faces adapted to be engaged by the cone surfaces 29 and30 of a double friction clutch 31 slidabl'y keyed on the shaft andshiftable by a sliding shipper bar 32 connected with a controlling lever33 carrying a locking pawl 34 to' engage a rack 35. When the lever is inneutral position the cones will be out of ongagement with both sprocketwheels, thus disconnecting the shaft 22 from the shaft 29, the saidshaft 22 being provided with bevel gears 36 engaging the bevel gears 13on the shafts of the lifting wheels, whereby when said shaft 22 isdriven the lifting wheels or propellers will be simultaneously rotatedin opposite directions at the same rate of speed.

By adjusting the clutch so as to engage the friction face 29' with thesprocket wheel 27, motion will be communicated through the chain 25 andsprocket wheel" landings may be easily made.

-30 into engagement withfthe sprocket wheel 28, motion willbe\communicated throu h y from the 43, which carries a shiftable by asliding the chain 26 and sprocket wheel 24 to t e shaft 22 to drive saidshaft and the lifting wheels at a higher rate of speed, or at asufficient velocity to elevate the machine, so i that it may be causedto ascend straight u ground or other supporton whic it rests. i

Suitably journaled on the frame the front or rear of the machine aredriving propellers 37, to the hub of each of which is secured a bevelgear 38, the said gears 38 meshin with gears 39 on the ends of atransverse rive shaft 40. This shaft 40 carries a bevel gear 41 meshingwith a bevel gear 42 on a short longitudinal shaft sprocket wheel 44connected by a chain 45 with a sprocket wheel 46 loose on the motorshaft 29. The sprocket wheel 46 has a friction face adapted to beengaged by the cone surface 47 of'a clutch 48 slidably keyed on theshaft and shipper rod 49 which an operating lever 50 at either 7 rod isconnected with g having a locking pawl 51 to'engage a rack 52, throughwhich and out of action at clutch mechanism the propellerdrive gearingmay be thrown into will. These levers 33 and 50 are arranged so as to beconveniently operated by the aviator from his position in the seat 3.

For the purpose of balancing and steera balancing and steering plane 53is pivotally mounted toswing vertically on a horizontal axis at a vnected by- 63 on a shaft 64 whee 65, whereby the rudder point aboutmidway of the length of the frame. The axis of this plane carries apulley -or"'sprocket wheel 54 which is cona rope on chain 55 with apulley or sprocket wheel 56 on a shaft 57 to which -is connected acontrolling wheel 58, whereb the plane may be conveniently adjusted.

vertical rudder 59 is disposed at the rear of the machine to swinglaterally for horizontal steering, said rudder being provided withlaterally extendin crank arms 60 connected by links 61 wit a short chainsection 62 passing around a sprocket pinion may be adjusted.

Having thus what I claim is: r

A fi-ying machine comprising a frame structure, vertical shafts carriedthereby and provided with beveled gears, rotary lifting and sustainingropellers carried by said shafts, a motor aving' a lon 'tudinallyextending shaft, 'a longitudina tending drive shaft provided at its 0pends with beveled gears meshing wit the beveled gears von the verticalpropeller shafts, high and low speed gearing connecting the motor shaftwith the drive shaft, clutch devices operative to connect said shaft-sthrough either set of gearing, a third longitudinally extending shaft inear with the motor shaft, a transverse sha t in ear with said thirdlongitudinally exten ing shaft, longitudinally extending propellersha'ftsfon opposite sides of the aforesaid longitudinal shaftstransverse shaft, and driving propellers on said longitudinallyextending propeller shafts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. D. RU FIn', ,J. F. LAMBERT.

described the invention,

y excarrying, a tiller or hand and ingear with said osite

